On June 25, 2017, a tragedy unfolded at a family gathering in the Walnut Park neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. Michael Hurt, a 28-year-old male, was attending the event on the 4700 block of Beacon Avenue when he became involved in a dispute with a teenager present at the scene. The conflict reportedly began when Hurt confronted the 15-year-old boy, telling him that he was too young to be carrying a firearm.
In response to the comment, the teenager allegedly pulled a pistol from his
waistband and fired at Hurt. The shooting resulted in Hurt sustaining a fatal chest wound; he was subsequently transported to a hospital where he died from his injuries. A second individual at the gathering was also struck by gunfire, suffering a wound to the leg, but survived the incident.
Authorities launched an investigation that eventually led to charges against the suspect more than a year later. In September 2018, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office charged Anthony Thompson, who was 16 years old at the time of the charges, as an adult. Thompson faced counts of first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and two counts of armed criminal action. During the legal proceedings, his defense attorney argued against the transfer of the case from juvenile court, citing the teenager's intellectual disability, while a judge set his cash-only bond at $500,000.
